Tug of war game apparatus



a, f 5 7 Jan. 31, 1967 ,7 c5. SICHERMAN 3,301,555

TUG OF WAR GAME APPARATUS Filei De 13, 1963 ATTORNEY GERALD SICHERMAN United States Patent 3,301,555 TUG OF WAR GAME APPARATUS Gerald Sicherman, 18930 NW. 12th Ave., Miami, Fla. 33169 Filed Dec. 23, 1963, Ser. No. 332,774 Claims. (Cl. 273-1) This invention relates to a game and exercise mechanism and relates more particularly to improvements in apparatus for playing the game of tug of war.

The game or contest, generally known as tug of war, involves the use of a rope or its equivalent and is played by two or more opposing individuals each seeking to pull the other past a given point. Apparatus has been provided in the past for indicating the amount of straight pull progress and to indicate the distance of travel of the rope along a straight line.

It is an object of this invention to provide an improved and novel variation in the old well-known game and novel apparatus therefor.

The principal object is to provide playground type apparatus which is novel, sturdy in construction, easy to use, and which rotates about a central pivot point in the direction of the strongest pull or tugging effort.

Another object is to provide a tug bar apparatus which can be used in playing the game by two opposing players or by two pairs of opposing players as is desired.

A further object of this novel invention is to provide apparatus enclosing a pair of tugging ropes which includes a system of pulleys that transfer the straight line pulling force of the participants into a rotary motion which causes the tug bar to rotate about a central axis in the direction of the strongest pulling or tugging effort.

A still further object is to provide a tugging rope arranged around a system of pulleys contained within the tug bar housing in a manner to cause rotation of the tug bar in the direction of the strongest pulling force having a gripping handle fixed to each end of the single rope in a manner whereby one player can grasp the handle in his hand or hands on one side of the tug bar and a second player can grasp the opposing handle which is attached to the same rope in his hand or hands and so the players oppose each other by pulling or tugging on the rope against each other to cause the tug bar to rotate in the direction of the strongest pulling force.

Another object is to provide a pair of tugging ropes similarly arranged around the system of pulleys whereby opposing teams of two players each may grasp one of the gripping handles and achieve the same result as a team.

Further objects and advantages will be apparent from a reading of the following description in connection with the accompanying drawings disclosing this invention in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective diagrammatic illustration of the tug bar of this invention showing two opposing teams of two players each in their respective playing positions;

FIGURE 2 is a perspective side view of the tug bar of this invention shown mounted on its supporting central pivot post and showing the pull ropes and hand ps;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged cross sectional side view of the tug bar showing the pair of pull ropes and the end pulleys about which they rotate and the central pivot member on which the tug 'bar is rotatably mounted; and

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged detail plan view of one end 3,301,555 Patented Jan. 31, 1967 of the tug bar illustrating the manner in which the ropes engage one of the pulleys.

Referring now to the drawings in detail in which like numerals designate like parts throughout the several views, the numeral 10 indicates, in general, the tug bar and the pedestal 13 upon which it is pivotally mounted.

In FIGURE 1 there is illustrated the situation wherein two opposing teams of two players each oppose each other. Player A is partner of player B, and oppose the team of players C and D as will be hereinafter described.

Tug bar 10 comprises an elongated hollow box-like structure, which may be made of wood, metal, fiber glass or any other desirable material, which is pivotally mounted at its exact center at 12 to the top of a post 13 which may be of metal, wood or any other desirable material.

If the tug bar apparatus is to be used outdoors, in a childrens playground or public park, for example, the lower end 14 of the post 13 is mounted in a suitable manner such as a post hole in the ground which may be encased in concrete in a well-known manner for rigid support.

If the tug bar is to be used indoors, as in a gymnasium, or play room, the supporting post 13 may be fixed to the floor by means of a flange 15 of wide circumference having bolt holes 16 or in any other wellknown manner.

The tug bar box 10 is pivoted at 12, as has been described by means of a vertically extending axle rod or pin 17 which is fixed to the top of post 13, as well shown in FIGURE 3, in a manner permitting tug bar box 10 to rotate in either direction depending on the pulling or tugging action of the players as will be hereinafter described.

A pair of ropes 20 and 30 are provided which extend through the hollow tug bar box 10, see FIGURE 3 in particular.

Apertures 21 and 22 are provided near the opposite ends of box 10 and on the opposite vertical sides of the box to accommodate the passage of rope 20 through the box.

Apertures 31 and 32 are provided near the opposite ends of box 10 and on the opposite vertical sides of the box to accommodate the passage of rope 30 through the box 10.

A vertically disposed double grooved pulley 36 is rotatably mounted in any suitable manner within the box 10 adjacent one end thereof and an identical vertically disposed rotatably mounted pulley 37 is suitably mounted adjacent the opposite end of box 10 as shown in the drawings.

Rope 30 is passed through side aperture 31 in box 10, see FIGURE 3, and around the back side of the upper groove of pulley 36, as viewed in said FIGURE 3, and rope 30 is further extended lengthwise through box 10 and around the near side of the upper groove of pulley 37, as viewed in FIGURE 3, and on out through aperture 32 at the other end of box 10. It is thus apparent that the rope 30 may be pulled from the right to left and from left to right through the tug bar box 10 by the tugging and pulling force exerted on the rope by the players.

This pulley and side hole arrangement transmits the direction of the pulling force applied to the rope by the players from a straight line to a rotary motion which will cause the tug bar 10 to rotate on its pivot point 12 and central shaft 17, in the direction of the greatest applied force. It is readily apparent that as the rope 30 moves longitudinally in the tug bar box 10, it will cause the pulley to be pulled toward its repsective side hole because the far side of the pulley is opposite to the side hole and will direct the pulling force transversely crosswise of the tug bar 10 through the related side hole.

Rope 20 is passed through side aperture 21 and around the front side of the lower groove of pulley 36, as shown in FIGURE 3, and rope 20 is further extended lengthwise through box 10 and around the back or far side of the lower groove of pulley 37 and on out through hole 22, see FIGURES 1, 2 and 4, at the other end of box 10. It is thus apparent that the rope 20 may be pulled back and forth lengthwise of box 10 by the tugging and pulling force exerted on rope 20 by the players to rotate towards them in the direction of the arrow.

Operation If only two players oppose each other with the ropes passing around the pulleys 36 and 37 as shown in FIG- URE 3, one player pulls on rope 20 and his opponent pulls on rope 30. Handles 9 act as stops against the sides of box 10.

If four contestants wish to play they form two teams of two players each. As illustrated in FIGURE 1, As partner will be B and Cs partner will be D. The team A and B will pull together using rope 30 as hereinbefore described attempting to cause a counterclockwise rotation of the tug bar box 10. The opponent team C and D respectively will pull together using rope 20 attempting to cause a clockwise rotation of box 10. The combined tugging force of each team of partners will thus be pitted against the other team. The tug bar 10 will be caused to rotate either clockwise or counter clockwise dependent on which team exerts the mos-t tugging power.

The inventor contemplates an alternative arrangement of the ropes 20 and 30 respectively. By merely passing rope 20, as viewed in FIGURE 3 particularly so that it passes on the front side of the lower half of roller 37, in the same fashion as it passes the front side of roller 36, a different pulling arrangement can be effected. That is to say, the players will assume different stations or positions in the playing of the game. In such a situation rope 30 would pass on the front side of the upper portion of roller 36 in the same fashion as that shown similar to the way it is shown passing the upper portion of roller 37 in FIGURE 3.

Thus it is contemplated that ropes 20 and 30 may be criss-crossed exactly as shown in the drawings in relation to pulleys 36 and 37 to obtain one effect, or each of the ropes 20 and 30 can be arranged on the same side of pulleys 36 and 37 respectively and require a different placement of the opponents, whether two or four participate, providing variety although the same fundamental tug of war game results.

It is to be understood that various changes may be made in the form, details, materials used, arrangement and proportions of the parts disclosed without departing from the scope of applicants invention and modifications are contemplated in carrying out the objects set forth in this description.

The claims:

1. A tug of war game and exercise device including a vertical pedestal supporting means, an elongated horizontally disposed hollow housing member pivotally mounted for free rotation at its center on said pedestal, means for causing said elongated housing member to be rotated including a pair of pulling ropes, a pair of pulleys, one pulley being pivotally arranged at each end of said housing, a pair of apertures formed in opposite sides of the housing adjacent each pulley, one of said pulling ropes being inserted through one of said apertures and passed around in operative contact with one side of the first pulley nearest said aperture and extended lengthwise through the housing and passed around in operative contact with the opposite side of the pulley arranged at the other side of said housing, said rope being passed out of the housing through the aperture therein adjacent the second described pulley, the other pulling rope being inserted through the aperture formed in opposite side of the housing opposite the aperture through which the first rope was inserted into the housing, said second rope being passed around the opposite side of the first pllley to that of the firs-t rope and extended lengthwise through the housing crisscrossing the first described rope within the housing and passing in operative contact with the opposite side of the second pulley to that on which the first rope contacted said second pulley, said second rope being passed out of the housing through the aperture adjacent the second pulley and on the opposite side of the housing through which the first rope was passed out of the housing.

2. A tug of war game device as described in claim 1 in which each of the rope actuated pulleys is divided centrally by a flange adapted to separate the two ropes in their respective horizontal planes.

3. A tug of war game device as described in claim 1 wherein grip handles are provided at ends of each rope.

4. A tug of war game device as described in claim 1 including a radially outwardly extending flange secured to said pedestal supporting means adjacent its lower end, and a plurality of bolt holes formed through said flange.

5. A tug of war game device as described in claim 1 in which each of the pair of ropes run parallel to the other and bear on the same sides of the respective pulleys.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 786,552 4/1905 Dufr'ner 27279 X 1,279,633 9/1918 Allen 272-79 2,518,840 8/1950 Tunst-all. 3,171,654 3/1965 Swanson 273-1 FOREIGN PATENTS 11,067 1904 Great Britain.

RICHARD C. PINKHAM, Primary Examiner.

LOUIS J. BOVASSO, Examiner. 

1. A TUG OF WAR GAME AND EXERCISE DEVICE INCLUDING A VERTICAL PEDESTAL SUPPORTING MEANS, AN ELONGATED HORIZONTALLY DISPOSED HOLLOW HOUSING MEMBER PIVOTALLY MOUNTED FOR FREE ROTATION AT ITS CENTER ON SAID PEDESTAL, MEANS FOR CAUSING SAID ELONGATED HOUSING MEMBER TO BE ROTATED INCLUDING A PAIR OF PULLING ROPES, A PAIR OF PULLEYS, ONE PULLEY BEING PIVOTALLY ARRANGED AT EACH END OF SAID HOUSING, A PAIR OF APERTURES FORMED IN OPPOSITE SIDES OF THE HOUSING ADJACENT EACH PULLEY, ONE OF SAID PULLING ROPES BEING INSERTED THROUGH ONE OF SAID APERTURES AND PASSED AROUND IN OPERATIVE CONTACT WITH ONE SIDE OF THE FIRST PULLEY NEAREST SAID APERTURE AND EXTENDED LENGTHWISE THROUGH THE HOUSING AND PASSED AROUND IN OPERATIVE CONTACT WITH THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE PULLEY ARRANGED AT THE OTHER SIDE OF SAID HOUSING, SAID ROPE BEING PASSED OUT OF THE HOUSING THROUGH THE APERTURE 